Meet the 2021 WISP Award Winners: Jamila Callwood

Jamila Callwood Co-owner | Phenomenal Tees Columbia, South Carolina

“WHEN WE DECIDED to take the company full time, Jem dove headfirst and within seven months took our company from medium five figures to well six figures. She continues to be innovative and consistently bring new ideas to help set our company apart from our competitors,” Shorn Callwood, co-owner, Phenomenal Tees. “Jem is pushing the industry forward by continuously motivating others and creating a platform to teach, coach, and mentor women on starting a T-shirt company. She not only mentors both online and in person, but she also has also created an ebook, How to Start a T-shirt Business, with a chapter-by-chapter checklist.”

One of your nomination forms states “Jem created a Facebook group and has grown it to at least 130 female members. Her group is geared towards helping females start their own T-shirt brand/business. She offers consultation services on a weekly basis and to date has helped at least four women start their own at-home T-shirt businesses.” Why is mentorship, training, and coaching, so that others can grow within the screen printing industry, important to you?

It is important to me because as a new entrepreneur eight years ago, I knew nothing about being an entrepreneur much less anything about printing T-shirts. I remember the days when I felt lost and hopeless and needed help, but for me it took many days of trial and more trial, error and then success! My thought is why hold on to knowledge for yourself when you can share the knowledge and help others be successful, as well! Why not help others win, too?

It also states you “strive to educate your customers on the process of screen printing and the durability of the process,” and “her passion for helping the customers from the beginning stages of an order to the follow through of touching bases even after the customer receives their order is above reproach!” How has this helped cultivate your current customer base?

Customers appreciate that I take a genuine interest in their vision and idea. Often times, when a customer comes into my shop, I take them on a quick tour of our warehouse and show them the process of how it all works. Customers leave intrigued and educated on the process and can see the detailed work it takes to produce their awesome design/logo. They appreciate that! In doing so, customers not only understand how their shirts are printed, but they also understand how their shirts are priced.

What does being a woman in the screen printing industry mean to you?

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Two words: Breaking barriers!